Official Report of Death

1LT Michael A. SMOGER, 05336847, USA
Advisory Team 1, MACV

24 May 1968

Individual died from wounds and burns received while aboard a military aircraft that was hit by hostile weapons fire. He had been wounded and was aboard the aircraft for evacuation to a medical facility.

Previously reported as Missing in Action on 24 May and changed to Killed in Action on 27 May 1968.

Submitted by: Ken Davis, Researcher, The Virtual Wall, 20090910

HMM-265 Command Chronology - MAY 1968

Narrative Summary:

24 May 1968: During the late afternoon, HMM-265 aircraft were diverted from OPERATION ALLEN BROOKE to perform an emergency medevac at an ARVN [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] position at coordinates BT050544. Upon landing in the zone the aircraft was swamped with more troops than it could carry. While attempting to remove enough troops to bring his weight down within flyable limits, the aircraft sustained a direct hit from a B-40 rocket. All crew members received wounds; both pilots were burned seriously enough to be medevaced out of country. Aircraft [CH-46A] destroyed by the resulting fire.

HMM-265 Command Chronology - MAY 1968

Casualties:

Capt. E. C. DESAUSSURE received wounds 11 miles southeast of Danang in Quang Nam Province on 24 May 1968. Condition Good. One day in hospital and then medevaced.
1stLt. R. B. POWERS II received wounds 11 miles southeast of Danang in Quang Nam Province on 24 May 1968. Condition Good. One day in hospital and then medevaced.
LCpl. L. L. ANDERSON received wounds 11 miles southeast of Danang in Quang Nam Province on 24 May 1968. Condition Excellent. One day in hospital and then released.
Cpl. R. L. SMITH received wounds 11 miles southeast of Danang in Quang Nam Province on 24 May 1968. Condition Excellent. One day in hospital and then released.

B-40 Rocket / RPG-2

The RPG-2 rocket launcher is a simple 40 millimeter steel tube into which the PG-2 82 mm diameter rocket propelled grenade is fitted. The center section of the tube has a thin wooden covering to protect the user from the heat generated by a rocket launch. The wooden covering also makes using the weapon in extreme cold conditions easier.

The total length of the weapon with a grenade fitted was 120 centimeters (47 inches) and it weighed 4.48 kilograms (9.8 pounds). Only a simple iron sight was provided for aiming.

Only one type of grenade, the PG-2 HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank), was used in the RPG-2. The propellant was in a cardboard case that had to be attached to the grenade before loading. Once attached to the propellant charge the grenade was inserted into the smooth-bore launcher from the front.

To fire the RPG-2 the grenadier cocked an external hammer with his thumb, aimed, and pulled the trigger to fire. Upon launch six stabilizer fins unfolded from the grenade.

Widely used against the U.S. military in the Vietnam War, its Vietnamese variants were called the B-40 and B-50.

The weapon was accurate against stationary targets only up to 150 meters and against moving targets at ranges of less than 100 meters. It had a muzzle velocity of 84 meters per second and could penetrate armor of up to 180 millimeters (7.17 inches) in thickness.